Loose Ends working title
by pantedgieQueen13
Summary: SEQUEL TO YOU'RE MAKIN' ME! Let me know how you like the title! Summary sucks, story is good! T for now! Rating may change.
1. Morals and Morality

**Loose Ends**

_A Sonic the Hedgehog Fanfic_

Part I: Morals and Morality

"Sonic?"

"Urrff." Sonic wound his body into a tighter ball and snuggled deeper under the covers. He didn't want to be awake. Two days after the tumultuous events of his illness and recovery, he still felt under the weather, even though he was eating six times a day! Well, it wasn't as if he was really eating a full meal, but still. That was definitely a lot of food.

"Sonic? Are you awake?"

Sonic's eyes shot open in the darkness, only to stare into the round bug eye of a small floating robot. "I'm dreaming, right?" As he yawned, he sat up, rubbing his eyes. The emerald orbs glowed brightly when he opened them again. The camera had adjusted position slightly, making a soft whooshing noise.

"If this were a dream, you wouldn't be tired, rodent." The evil doctor chuckled. Sonic tugged at his socks, unwillingly leaving the comfort of his covers to sit up on his bed, shivering with the chill of the early hours of the morning.

"Ah, so it is you? You haven't used one of those Spy Eyes in ages!"

"Beginning to wake up, I see? No, no, I haven't had use for them."

"It's a little creepy how you knew where my bedroom was, but…" Sonic stretched and fished around for his sneakers at the foot of his bed. He slipped his feet into them—not in a hurry, mind you—and walked to the bathroom. The doctor's machine hesitated at the entrance, but when Sonic reached for the toothbrush sitting comfortably in a cup nearby the sink, he felt safe enough to pursue. Sonic ran the toothbrush under the tap water as he spoke. "…it looks like you wanna talk. Go ahead."

"Actually, I came to invite to my base."

Sonic tapped his foot noisily as he scrubbed his teeth with the brush. He spat in the sink and ran the brush under the water again. "I'm not coming in chains, if that's what you mean. I know you set me free way back when1, but still. We're enemies, Robuttnik. And I mean that." He sounded as if he really _did_ mean it, too. Even if, right after he said it, he was gargling with water from a paper cup. He spat the water into the sink and turned to look pointedly at the thing. Water was dripping down his lip. "I don't care if you haven't attacked in as many days. We're _not_ friends, and I can't say I trust you. I'm not the best liar." He wiped his mouth with a nearby towel while Eggman spoke.

"You underestimate me, hedgehog."

"Please. I've been fighting you since I was little."

"I'll erase the data I've collected about where to find your bedroom." Eggman answered quite seriously. "I'm not playing with you, rodent. This is strictly on the up and up."

"Hmmm." Sonic took a long drink from another paper cup, crumpled it, and discarded it into the trash before pulling himself up onto the edge of the sink. "Okay, Eggman. I'll play along. But, if it gets rough, I'll trash anything I can aim at. Got it?" His green eyes glared, so fierce that even Eggman trembled!

"Y-yes, of course." The doctor shivered.

"Okay!" Sonic stretched out once again, this time to release all tension from his muscles and work out any kinks he may have had from sleep. "Lead the way, metal breath!"

_Eggman's Latest Base_

_Approximately 2:45 AM_

"Can I take your coat, sir?" A maid bot asked at the door as she admitted Sonic and the outdated Spy Eye.

"No thanks. I'll wear it." Sonic responded. He wasn't wearing any coat, naturally, but the one he couldn't take off.

"Very well. Right this way, please." The maid bot, with its primitive single wheel (not at all meant or prepared for battle, Sonic thought), scuttled on down one of the many brooding, dark hallways made of gray steel. The tunnels held a nasty draft, and once or twice, Sonic sneezed. His teeth were chattering in his head, and the fact that it was about twenty degrees cooler in the morning helped him even less.

"How do you _stand_ this?" Sonic demanded of the flying spy-bot, but the outdated models said nothing. Perhaps Eggman had turned off the communicator. Maybe this had allowed the thing to go faster. He could jog at a fairly accurate pace behind it, though running slow made him more exhausted than running fast, at times.

Finally, the maid-bot made a sharp turn and entered into a room emitting heated air. Sonic delighted at both this, and the soothing smells of long burned out incense candles. He didn't know Eggman had ever had any interest whatsoever in scented candles. Not even Amy, who, a romantic at heart, had dragged him to more than one candlelight dinner (a few times by choice, and the rest by force), had ever used scented candles!

The doctor himself was sitting on a black velvet lounge chair, facing the doorway. The room was more spacious than it looked, but Sonic still felt claustrophobic. Maybe it was the lack of lighting? The room was pretty dark.

"Can we get some lights?" Sonic wondered lightly. He was still shivering violently, though the room was warm. His vibrating vision was making him dizzy.

"Certainly," Eggman raised a gloved hand (he was wearing a black fur coat, which made him look foreign), and the lights flicked on. They tinted the room orange-ish, because they weren't blinding like bathroom or stage lights. Somehow, the fact they weren't blinding made Sonic more secure. As full lighting became available (and Sonic let out a sigh of relief to find that he was not in an enclosed space—the room itself had numerous exits and was mainly empty--), Sonic saw a red cushion chair, perhaps meant for him. Sonic didn't wait to be invited to sit, and noted there was a table between him and Eggman as he settled into the chair.

"Thanks." He added swiftly, thinking to show at least a bit of gratitude. Eggman was being oddly hospitable. "Last time I was here, I was in a soft cage. Now a soft chair? You going soft, Eggman?" He chuckled at his own joke, but Eggman seemed strangely far off, as his head was turned towards one of the many exits, his eyes trained on the many doors.

"Are you hungry, Sonic?" The doctor turned back toward him presently, ignoring Sonic if he had heard him.

"Wha--? Hungry? No way! Uhhh…" Sonic scratched between his magnificent quills. "Just a bit dizzy, thanks, I'm not really--"

"It won't be poisoned, you know." Eggman added. "To use your term, I've gone 'soft' for now."

"For now, huh?" Sonic chewed this over, wondering how long 'for now' would last, in Eggman terms. All the while, the mention of a possibly meal was making his mouth begin to water. Suddenly, he _was _pretty hungry. "Yeah, I guess I could go for something. What's on the menu?"

"Crickets!" Eggman responded brightly, before bursting into manical laughter at Sonic's horrified expression. "I'm only kidding." He said almost tenderly, snapping his fingers.

Another robot of unidentifiable make (Sonic thought it resembled a chicken) swooped in with a plate of chili dogs (roughly nine or ten, piled on the plate almost playfully) and a tall glass of root beer with lots of ice—the way he liked it. Another robot, lower to the ground and green in color (an advanced Burrowbot?) clumsily presented its master with a medium rare steak, mashed potatoes with gravy, and a cup of coffee. The mug had that signature 'Eggman' logo on the protruding side.

So, _**this**_ is how Eggman got to be so fat! He had 24-hour room service!

Smelling the steak in combination with his favorite food caused Sonic's stomach to rumble a bit like the muted sound of two die rolling against skin. He was really hungry now…and he hoped this was not so obvious to the doctor, who was now munching on a touch bit if steak.

Sonic eyed the two robots suspiciously as they retreated into darkness. The upright chicken nastily kicked the other one, making the tank-like thing clank along the floor. The hedgehog scrunched up his face as he removed his gloves and set them by his tail, his one hand hovering over the top chili dog.

"Hey, weren't those…?"

"Scratch and Grounder?2" Eggman chuckled. "Yes, they are."

"Didn't they use to talk? Besides, I thought you gave up all that 'es es es es es es es es es es es es squad3' nonsense years ago."

Eggman shrugged. "I still needed servants, rodent. Taking out their voice boxes was the best thing I ever did!" He chuckled dryly, taking a sip of his coffee.

"Uh huh." Sonic cautiously licked the end of the chili dog and then bit into it rapidly, chewing with gusto. They were still warm—which was important—and oddly delicious. No wonder that stupid squad could always lure him near their trap in days of old! Robotnik had an amazing recipe for chili dogs! "Soooooo…why'd you want me to come here, Eggman? I have food _at home_, y'know."

Eggman sighed. "I simply wanted to let you know that the small favor I did for you means nothing. I could decide to destroy the world tomorrow, and defeat you with my latest, strongest robot. I would feel no sympathy." He smiled in the way only a madman can smile. Sonic was unnerved, and he swallowed noisily.

"But…you changed! If only for a minute." Sonic responded, if not bitterly then with attitude of shock. "There _is _another side of you! I _knew_ it!" He whooped in triumph and leapt forward, pointing at Doctor Eggman. "You _do_ care!"

"Well, of course I care! Why else would I want to change you into a _robot_ if I _didn't_ care!" Eggman snapped. Sonic sank back into the chair, beginning to think that the chilidogs at the bottom were poisoned after all. After seeing him shaken, Eggman relaxed.

"I…I didn't want you to _expire_, I guess." The doctor admitted sheepishly after some minutes passed. "I…I would have never _wanted_ that, I mean…you are my greatest foe, and I…ugh." He let loose a long, deep sigh. "I…I just never _wanted_ to…"

"Stop." Sonic licked his fingers, and then pulled his gloves comfortably back on his hands. "I understand." He cautiously took a sip of root beer, wondering if he might explode if he did so. He didn't. "You've done me a few favors before, and I've pulled you out of the frying pan, too. You're just paying me back, I know. It doesn't change anything. It never does." He glanced up at Eggman, smiling haughtily but sentimentally. "You're learning a bit too much from me." He said, rising. "Sayonara, Eggman." He nodded, winking, before disappearing in a cloud of blue wind.

Eggman shielded himself from the blast and then rose. "Scratch! Grounder!" He ordered. The chicken and the glorified Burrowbot appeared before him. "Clean up this mess." He told them sternly before exiting the room and walking down the hall to his own bedroom.

He removed his cloak, revealing his green striped pajamas. Sighing, he climbed beneath the silvery gray sheets and pulled the storm cloud colored comforter around his form. He found some comfort in knowing Sonic would soon be doing the same.

He was about to drift off to sleep when another thought came to him. "Computer?"

The room around him beeped to acknowledge the command.

"Erase all data under 'Locations of Sonic the Hedgehog'."

"Yes, doctor." The computer droned, and then buzzed out.

Eggman fell asleep imagining he heard the faint whooshing of Sonic the Hedgehog outside his bedroom window.

_Ah, so the sequel begins! Do you like it? Will you read it? Loyal fans of the series, do you have faith in the sequel?! Please review! Thanks!_

1 When Eggman had captured him in You're Makin' Me.

2 The two annoying robots in Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog.

3 The Super Secret Sonic Search and Smash Squad!


	2. The Return of Shadow

**Part II: The Return of Shadow**

Sunlight poured in through the window from the outside, covering the room in a warm, bright blanket. Slowly, the light covered all four corners of the room. The red guitar hanging on the wall glinted as the light passed over it. When the sunlight came upon a form sleeping in the bed, it seemed to tickle, flowing upward until it found the closed eyes of the brave blue hero.

Sonic rubbed his eyes and yawned, opening them to find himself safe at home. He wondered if what had happened last night had been a dream. Still amongst his dark emerald comforters, the blue hedgehog rolled over onto his tan furred stomach and rested his chin on his arms, thinking hard. He was trying to remember the events of last night, but came up with a few blanks. The only thing he remembered was Robotnik being nice, and those killer chilidogs.

"Mmmm," Sonic wet his lips. He could almost _taste_ the perfect recipe, and was quite annoyed when he couldn't. It seemed _days_ till lunch, and he was already craving his favorite food. Sonic moaned in pain as his stomach growled loudly. Being really hungry these days hurt him, cramping up his insides like a corkscrew. Most of the time, he couldn't bear to go without food for more than a few hours! And that would be difficult if the wind decided to tug his fur in the direction of adventure, or adventure found _him_ first!

"Ugh." Sonic dug his face into the pillow and curled up on his side like a pill bug. His illness had not all been in vain. After all, he'd gained a few notches of speed! However, the speed was not without its price. Of course, running at his top speed burned innumerable calories, making him hungry, making him faster still. Most of the time, he could barely breathe! "Man, I wish I could just go back to sleep…" Sonic thought aloud, really regretting getting out of bed at all. "But, I know better. I'll wake up worse, and I know it." He sat up slowly and went to brush his teeth again. "Gotta eat today, gotta eat today." He told himself.

Of course, eating these days was not necessarily hard, considering his body required a massive amount of food, and would tell him so every couple of hours.

When he'd finished his teeth brushing and put on his shoes, along with a clean pair of gloves, he commenced stretching. A few quick stretches would evenly distribute the feeling of hunger throughout his body and make it more bearable until he could fix himself breakfast. Sonic tried hard not to think about fat waffles and fluffy pancakes and crisp, meaty bacon as he worked his muscles that were stiff from sleep.

After what seemed like hours, Sonic dubbed himself ready for the day (minus a few crucial things) and sped down the staircase and into the kitchen. He had to steady himself after the breath-stealing run, and wobbled a bit unsteadily as he opened his cupboards and refrigerator to see what he could make himself.

"Huh. I think I need to go grocery shopping soon." Sonic frowned, leaning wearily on the open refrigerator door. He didn't have much. Three eggs, two breakfast rolls, moldy cheese (he wasn't about to eat _that_!), three frozen waffles, and a blueberry muffin. Sighing, he took down the toaster from one of the cabinets and plugged it in. He popped two waffles in it and reached for the syrup and whipped cream. He nuked two of the eggs in the microwave and placed them on the rolls. He then nuked the final egg sunny side up, and munched on that while he waited.

Feeling a little less dizzy after his egg, Sonic hummed while preparing a plate. He put the last waffle into the toaster and took out the two other ones, drowning them in syrup and whipped cream. He warmed up the muffin a little in the microwave and set that on the plate, too. He put the egg sandwiches on another plate close by, and finally placed the last waffle amongst its own kind again.

Sonic, feeling a bit like a waitress, carried the food over to the table and sat down, panting. His heart was beating unusually fast, but at this point, he didn't care. Dizzy again, he lifted the fork between trembling fingers and began to eat. He went slowly at first until he gained a bit more strength. Then, he devoured the food with gusto and excitement, eager to feel food within him. He tore his way through the waffles, scarffed down the egg sandwiches, and more or less ate the muffin in one bite.

After all the food was gone, Sonic sat back, licking his lips and tilting his neck back to stare at the ceiling. He was still pretty hungry, but at least it didn't hurt anymore. And besides, as the food began to settle, the hunger wore off and comfort began to replace it. Closing his eyes in bliss, he tasted the remains of the blueberry muffin in his mouth and sighed in contentment. It was good to feel food in him again, even if he wasn't really all that full.

With the entrance of food into his systems, his mind became less foggy. He wasn't all that psyched about grocery shopping. He had to call Tails to get his money, and he doubted the fox was anywhere near a phone. That meant running over there and raiding Tails' fridge for a snack while he got the money. Not that he wasn't thankful to Tails for taking care of his income. Sonic mostly lived off tax payers' money, what might be called 'welfare' on Earth, but he often acquired odd jobs as he adventured, bringing in thousands of foreign moneys, which had to be converted into currency that could be used here.

Not very good at math himself, Sonic left Tails in charge of his finances. Hey, they weren't really that hard to manage anyhow. Sonic never needed to pay parking tickets or get bailed out of jail.

Putting grocery shopping at top priority on his mental To-Do list for today, Sonic began to walk through what his day might be like. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.

Sonic shot up, his acute ears swiveling from side to side. The knock came again with more urgency this time. The blue hedgehog sighed. "Coming!" He called, speeding towards the door. He was not quite as surprised as he should've been to see who he saw.

"Greetings, Sonic."

"Hey, Shadow. I was beginning to think you'd 'died' again."

"You are not funny."

"Yes I am. But we could argue this point all day. What's up, Faker?" Sonic stepped aside to allow the dark hedgehog entry.

"I see you have gained back most of your obnoxious qualities since your illness." Shadow stepped indoors and rubbed his hands together. It was rather brisk out there today.

"Yeah, well." Sonic stretched out and closed the door, scratching his back. "I _did_ just eat."

"Ah, so _that _is why you are so alive!" Shadow laughed, only to find himself punched in the arm.

"Shaddup, Faker. You know me well enough to know that I'm lively both hungry and well-fed."

"Though you are weaker."

"Yep! But we don't have to go there. Anyway," Sonic jumped into the couch and reclined. "What's on your mind?"

Shadow sighed. "I do not remember why I came down here, to tell the truth."

Sonic chuckled deep in his throat, eyes closing. "Well, I've got my own agenda for the day. If ya wanna come along, I don't mind. In fact, I could use the company." He winked. "Amy's out with the girls today."

For some reason, Shadow fur stood on end when he heard Amy's name…and the fact that Sonic was sad to have her out for the day. Before he could stop himself, he blurted out: "So, _I_ am your backup plan?!"

Sonic tensed, hearing Shadow's nasty tone and taking into consideration that it could mean a fight. He jumped up onto the couch, his back against the cushions. He was battle-ready indeed. His eyes seemed both frightened and defiant. "Whoa, Shadow, I don't wanna fight you." It seemed not. Usually, Sonic was itching for a fight with Shadow, but it didn't seem that way now. Not at all. He wanted to conserve his energy more than anything. Fighting Eggman was one thing. Fighting Shadow was quite another, considering they were mostly matched blow for blow.

"What if I want to fight you?" Shadow snarled, preparing for battle also, his ruby eyes flaring.

"_Okay_, fine. Correction: I _won't_ fight you." Sonic snapped bitterly, his teeth closing on each other with a chilling ferocity. "Like I said, I have my own agenda today, so play nice or _get out_!"

"You can't make me." Shadow responded, but he shrank away when Sonic's quills flared.

"_Out_!" Sonic shouted, his eyes burning like twin fireballs.

Shadow jumped, shocked. Then, he sped away out the door. _Damn it, Sonic. I didn't mean to fight with you!_

Sonic watched Shadow leave, then relaxed his muscles. He allowed himself to sink into the couch, curling up for a nap. He needed to get his strength back, for being bitterly angry gave him migraines. It always had, and these seemed to hurt more since his illness. Being angry now also made him feel quite queasy, all said and done.

Shadow couldn't see Sonic, not yet. He had to wait, he had to calm himself down, before he could even hope of seeing Sonic again.


	3. Groceries and Tales

**Groceries and Tales**

Sonic, still achy from being mad at Shadow, crossed to the door and slipped into his green zipper sweatshirt hanging faithfully by the door like an old dog waiting for you to come home. He zippered it up against his chest to keep out the chilly winds and dashed out the door, his hands in his pockets. Normally, he wouldn't need a jacket, but because his immune system still had holes in it from his illness and because he could catch cold easily if he was not up to par (which he wasn't—not quite), he wore one. Or, maybe this was just to please Amy. Whatever the reason, it wasn't a hassle.

Tails was working out some math problems at the table when Sonic arrived, fur tussled from the wind and he wearied and faintly hungry from running. Tails chuckled as Sonic reached into the refrigerator. "Hey, Sonic. And no, I don't mind you digging in my refrigerator, thanks for asking."

"Sorry," Sonic apologized, shrugging. "Nasty habit." He reappeared from the white insides with a premade ham and cheese sandwich. "Stop me if this is your lunch."

Tails glanced up, and then looked back down. "No, those are leftovers. You can have it."

"Thanks." Sonic took a hasty bite and swallowed. "I need some money."

"I figured. Why else would you be here? It's not like we have anything to talk about."

"I hate it when you tease me like that!" Sonic whimpered as he hid behind his sandwich. "I'm sorry, I've been sick and with my girlfriend! Okay? Yeesh!"

"Oh, don't go on a rant, drama socks. Here, I'll give you your money." Tails tore out a check from his checkbook and selected a pen. "How much do you need?"

Sonic's head swam at the thought of doing math. "Ummm…How much do I usually spend on groceries?"

Tails tapped his chin with the end of the pen, frowning. "Plenty. You have enough in your funds, but I'm starting to worry. Expenses are adding up for you."

Sonic shrugged. "Eh. It's just my illness, and my new notches of spped. Things'll calm down in a month."

"Let's hope so. You're delving into your Emergency Funds here." Tails scribbled the information down rapidly onto the check.

"Get real!" Sonic hissed, but it was more out of teasing than in actual anger. "What counts as an 'emergency' for me isn't really something I need money for most of the time!"

"True, true. So far, this is the only emergency that has ever cost you anything." Tails presented the check to Sonic. "I didn't put a specific amount on it. Let the cashier put in the amount when you check out. I don't think anyone will jip Sonic the Hedgehog." He raised an eyebrow at his older brother as Sonic glanced hungrily at the check. All he knew was that this way going to get him food. "Don't lose it." Tails warned.

"Thanks, Tails." Sonic smiled, and, having now finished his sandwich, dashed away to the grocery store.

With a sigh, Tails went back to work.

* * *

After successfully checking out at the grocery store, Sonic was running home, a plastic bag holding eggs tight in his arms. The rest of his groceries were tied to a small flying saucer, chained to his waist. Sonic had a slight distrust for cars, so this was an easy way for him to effectively carry groceries…and offer a fun ride, too, when he wanted it.

After feeling the chain grind against the bones in his hips (any bones at all on and off exposed, because, as mentioned previously, he was still in the early recovery stage), it felt nice to unhook the chain and get to unloading groceries. His favorite chocolate ice cream went into the freezer—double chocolate fudge—and the whipped cream, maraschino cherries, caramel, and chocolate sauces were stored away in the refrigerator along with the eggs, milk, and cheese.

He began to unpack hot dog rolls huge and soft like edible couches, his favorite spicy chili and some milder stuff (some days, his tummy wasn't quite up to spices), and—of course—juicy foot-long franks. Oh! But he was hungry now! Especially after watching his own hands unpack ham and salami, lettuce, and toasted rolls (good for making subs), and peanut butter and jelly, and melt-in-your-mouth flatbread for midnight snacks!

Sonic sent the flying saucer off to Tails' house, using the built-in GPS, and went straight to work. What he _really_ craved was a delectable ice cream sundae. He took out the ice cream to let it soften and dug out from his special pantry stash all manner of toppings (as one would expect to find at a reputable ice cream parlor) and a big sundae bowl. He hummed one of his favorite tunes while slicing a banana into perfect saucers, whistled while he scooped the ice cream into the sundae bowl, and tapped his foot in time with the rhythm as he began a combination of humming and singing, making a buzzing noise like a bumble bee when he forgot the words.

"Whoa-oh-oh-oh, mmmhhmmhmm, hey all, welcome to the greatest storm. I know you have waited much too long. And I'll, hmmmhmmhmmhmm, from the ground! To the sky! I face the hmmmhmm, in a rage, I say! Each and every, each and every, each and everyone, till this war is won." Sonic smiled as he squeezed out the whipped cream and topped it with a maraschino cherry of perfect, rounded consistency, sprinkling chocolate shards for good measure.

The sundae itself had to be something like a thousand calories, or so, but sonic figured he'd burned at least twice as much grocery shopping—not to mention towing the heavy saucer back home! He had just swirled the cherry round the top of the whipped cream mountain and had successfully ended its career and was about to set his attention to the rest of his early dessert…when there came a knock at the door.

"Oh, go away…" Sonic grumbled bitterly like a cranky old man, in his mind calculating who could come and visit. Amy was out shopping, and later going to one of the girls' house for a sleepover and chick flicks and whatever it is girls did when away from their boyfriends…he'd scared off Shadow, he was pretty sure Tails was home…

And could it mean trouble? Sonic regretted putting away his tasty morsel of a midday snack, and it seemed his poor belly was in no better shape because of it. The unsatisfied organ was moaning up at him like some poor person on the city streets. _Feed me, dammit! __**Feed me**__!_

"If I could, I would, tummy," Sonic mumbled, feeling a bit mental for talking back to something he couldn't even see (though he could feel it, poking at him rather rudely, I might add), and going to get the door, but not before looking through his rarely used peep hole.

This visitor didn't necessarily constitute trouble—he sure didn't look mad or frustrated, at least. And, maybe it wasn't trouble. Maybe he was just bored. After all, _his_ girlfriend was away shopping, too.

Sonic opened up, feigning anger as his red rival spoke. "Hey, blue! What's going on?" Knuckles studied Sonic, and pushed him with his mitt, letting a hard laugh pass his lips. "Oh please, wipe that _act_ off yer face, Sonic! It's gods-awful _enough_ ya _can't_ look mad when ya _should_, not to mention when yer just _**pretending**_!"

Sonic danced aside to let his friend in. "Oh, yeah? Who says I was '_pretending_', eh, you pretentious _herbivore_?!"

"Resorting to name calling? I didn't know you knew that word."

"Believe it, big fist. You tend to do a lot of reading when you _can't fuckin move_."

"But, if you can't move, then how…?" Sonic shoved his friend into the kitchen, albeit forcefully.

"All right, all right, don't blow a gasket, big red," Sonic, against Knuckles' back now, joked as he directed Knuckles to the kitchen with no small amount of effort on his behalf. "I'm starvin like hell, here, so I'm eatin, if you don't mind."

"Not at all," Knuckles laughed, taking a seat as he watched a relieved Sonic remove his frozen treat from the freezer. "I'm full yet from my lunch."

"Ah, really? Cause I had no idea grapes could be so filling."

Knux shrugged. "When you live on em for as long as I have, you learn how to make em work for ya. And anyway, who said a sundae ever counted as 'lunch' anyhow?" He argued, watching Sonic scoop a loaded spoonful into his cavern of a mouth.

"After yelling at Shadow, I was, like, _killed_ for calories." Sonic admitted ruefully, licking some whipped cream off the inside of his wrist. "Figured this'll help even me out."

"For you, that can't be even _close_ to enough calories, withstanding."

Sonic guffawed, almost spitting ice cream on his friend. "Maybe, but…" he swallowed thickly, enjoying the taste of cool chocolate with bits of warm, fudgy taste and caramel and all those assorted toppings, from nuts to chocolate candies, "it sure _tastes_ good!"

Knuckles grinned at his friend. "Since when do you eat only _one_ sundae at a time?"

Sonic lifted his eyes to gaze humorously at his friend and rival. "Har har. Save your jokes for Rouge. I'm too tired to deal with your stupidity."

"Tired, eh?" Knuckles pounded the table, making a 'pfft' sound in disbelief. "The Blue Blur, Fastest Thing Alive, the veritable _King_ of Speed, is tired?! _Puh_leeze!" He laughed, but when he saw Sonic's responding glare, he stopped.

"I don't wanna be mad," Sonic admitted with a warning growl before setting to his sundae again, lost in his own world as he found and ate a bit of the warm fudge that came dotted inside the ice cream like calorie-infused surprises. "But, I'll get mad if I have to. I'm really, truly tired. Now, that could easily just be me running on empty," he held up finger to keep Knuckles' babbling protest at bay, "but, I'll level with ya—I'm exhausted, like I was after my first battle with Dark Oak." Sonic shivered, to think on his tangle with the Metarex commander. "And, on top of that, there's no way I'm feeling 100%. I think, right now, I'm operating at 70. Maybe even fifty, or less."

"Wow." Knuckles had a blank look on his face—what Sonic told him was undeniably a 'WTF moment'. There was a silence as Sonic polished off the ice cream with a satisfied burp and slipped his dish into the sink, patting his belly. As he went to take a seat, Knuckles spoke again. "Wow. Man, that's…" The red echidna scratched behind his head as Sonic, before tracing patterns in his sand-colored belly fur, now glanced up at him, emerald eyes wide and innocent, a calm within almost unimaginable after all the hell he'd been through. "That's…that's tired as anything for you, isn't it?"

Sonic yawned, stretching ostentatiously as if to prove Knuckles' broken statement true. "Ha! Yeah. I don't think that, before that whole adventure, I was ever truly exhausted. Maybe a little tired, but never exhausted."

"Mmmm," Knuckles murmured. "I think we were _all_ glad to get Eggman's ridiculous schemes back again, huh?"

Sonic yawned again, rising with a bratty, childish air, so that he reminded one of a contented, sleepy toddler full of warm milk and cookies, ready for a long nap. "Why're you askin, me, huh?" He even _sounded_ a bit like a tot at this point, a pouty whine unmistakable, unhidden, in his voice. "Not like I ever cared bout his schemes before, why would I start to care?" He flopped down into the couch, curling up. Knuckles could tell he would get no more intelligent conversation.

"Hey, if you get bored, c'mon up to the island, okay?" Knuckles extended the invitation with a smile, to which Sonic winked, stretching to full length on the couch before rubbing his eyes. Yep, he looked like an oversized young child, ready to rest undisturbed.

"No prob! Sure you won't find me boring?"

"_You_, True Blue?" Knuckled chuckled almost inaudibly. "_Never_."

"Good to hear." Sonic hid his face in a soft, cozy pillow. "Night, Knux."

The echidna laughed as he closed the door on Sonic, not regretting his sudden nap. After all, Sonic's feelings could easily flow into others…and Knuckles suddenly felt like having a nap as well.


	4. Bending the Line

**Chapter 4: Bending the Line**

_O.o should they be called "parts," because of their, erm, lineage? I'm not sure. Tell me what ya think! ^-^ I would also like to thank SonicPwnsAll for favoriting every single story I write. I know I can always go to his page to read my reviews when I'm too lazy to open my email! -_-' Thanks, bud! And, as always, you're one of two reading this story. Thanks also to formlesstree4 for always being there for me. Speaking of which, I'd better go see if they updated __**their**__ story! Well, this intro is getting to be tiresomely long, don't you think? On with the story! ;3_

* * *

Sonic woke up bored. But, then again, he seemed to be bored a lot these days. As he stretched out to full length on the couch, scratching himself, he wondered blankly if Eggman was going to attack again, and where. Last time, the doctor was fierce and crazy in the face of battle. Would he be the same, or worse?

"Somethin in my bones tells me…" Sonic grunted, flexing his fingers and arching his back. "…he'll be a lot worse. Huh. Wonder what Knux is up to on the island?" The blue hedgehog grabbed his jacket, zippered up, and headed off towards the Floating Island. Well, it wasn't as if there was really anything else to do. And besides, Sonic could easily hone his skills with a dual…that is, if Knuckles actually _tried_.

Sonic picked up speed as he neared the mountains. He would have to jump pretty high to get a good handhold on the odd-shaped island in the sky. His eyes narrowed, peering at the rocky mountain before him, gray with bright white caps. Those were snow, and he had to be careful. The tops of the mountain passes got wild with ice. He took a moment to peruse his target, before jetting off at incredible speeds. He was so close to the mountain…

_C'mon, Sonic. _He thought, his mind racing. _Get hungry._ He wished he hadn't eaten now, for the "hunger speed" would surely be an asset to his arsenal right now. Though, technically, if he learned to fight hungry…but he stopped himself, before his pride took over. _You __**are**__ the Fastest Thing Alive. You are._ "That's why I can do this," Sonic laughed before jumping up to the first mountain ledge. He bounced up the second and the third in the same second, barely touching them with more than his toes. He had to pick up speed. All this thinking was making him dizzy, or was it the high altitude? Even Sonic got dizzy from a lack of oxygen.

The blue hedgehog started to feel quite lightheaded, and it wasn't from hunger, which would've been a welcome feeling. "Darn it, Sonic! Keep up the pace!" Cobalt growled angrily at himself. He was almost to the top now, just two more bounds…yes! He had no time to waste.

Sonic pushed off the tip of the mountain and grabbed for a handhold. He didn't get one that held. "Yowch!" Sonic yelped as the rock broke painfully under his weight. He was slipping, slipping! He had to get a toehold. Using the toe of his famed sneakers, he rammed into a softer part of the rock face and found a few vines for handholds. After catching his breath and slowing his heart, Sonic began to climb.

The high altitudes didn't bother him as much as the dizzying heights. Not that he wasn't used to it, but it still kinda freaked him out a little bit. Anyway, it was a relief when he felt fresh grass under his fingertips. Sonic easily hoisted himself up over the edge, panting as he lay his head against the cool, wet grass.

The sun seemed warmer, and everything seemed infinitely greener up here. And fresher. And smellier. Sonic wasn't hungry to speak of yet, but the smells sure teased him enough! "You'd think there was a cake plant up here!" Sonic mused, crawling away from the edge and crossing his legs. "Ahhh…" He couldn't help but relax. After all, this Garden of Eden was deliciously warm, like being full. Sonic relished in the fresh ray of sunlight, allowing it to dry the molecules of water that had condensed on his hide during the run.

He was almost falling asleep again! "Oh!" He mused in longing. "Why didn't I go _here_ when I had trouble sleeping? Oh, right." He sighed, feeling pathetic at having to say it. "I couldn't get up."

"Why the past tense, blue?" Taunted a well-known voice. "You can't get up _now_!"

"Oh? You don't think so, eh?" Sonic stood with ease and stretched. "But seriously. How--" although he was cut off as the red echidna landed before him from one of the many trees, a fresh plum tight in hand.

"You? _Serious_?" Knuckles swallowed down a warm mess of plum. "Bah!" He snorted.

Sonic eyed him with playful contempt, and stifled a yawn. "I was gonna say…How _do_ you stay awake?! I just _came_ from a nap, and I'm sleepy again! Yeesh!" He rubbed his eyes, and struggled to stifle yet another yawn.

"Two in the same sentence?" Knuckles was talking about Sonic's yawning. "Jeez! There goes another one!" He laughed hard in disbelief as Sonic managed a huge, ballet style-looking stretch.

"Hmmm. Hey, it's not _my_ fault I'm miles behind on my sleep!" Sonic retorted, hands on his hips as he snapped saucily back at Knuckles. "You can thank the gods for that!"

"Can I?" Knuckles chuckled, crossing his arms over his chest. "Hmph! Well, I don't see you contributing much, besides the occasional yawn…" He mocked Sonic by pretending to yawn, and Sonic glared before being hit with another wave of fatigue. It was about as powerful as a wave; too, tire was, when he was on this island! He couldn't help stumbling a bit.

Knuckles laughed at him. "Find a good place ta sleep, ya blue pincushion. I won't bug ya. Come find me when you're ready to spar, huh?" He clapped Sonic on the shoulder and went swinging off through the trees like a monkey.

Sonic shook his head as Knuckles retreated, and found a soft bed of moss to sleep on. He laid down and curled up, quickly immersed with thoughts of sleep.

Meanwhile, millions of miles away, Shadow the Hedgehog was fighting his emotions as he ran. He wasn't ready to face Sonic, and Sonic would be wary to trust him again after that outburst of his. Why had he ever let his temper be a player in this?! Why, why, _why_?!


	5. Sparred and Sparring Matches

**Sparred and Sparring Matches**

"I dunno, Knux. He seemed so moody when we saw each other last." Sonic dodged a perfectly aimed spiked mitt and waited for his opponent somewhat impatiently.

"Y'know we're talking Shadow, right? Dude's always moody…" Knuckles huffed as he finally tugged his mitt out of the ground and faced Sonic again.

"Hmm, yeah, but…" Sonic danced around Knuckles again, circling around and swiftly kicking his legs out from under him. "I dunno, he seemed…a different kinda moody, y'follow me?"

Knuckles sat up and spit out a mouthful of grass. "Can't say I do, True Blue." With a fierce punch to the gut, he had Sonic in the dirt, too. "Why don't you get on my level?"

Sonic hacked. "Not…funny. Ugh, I think you hit my kidney." He squinted briefly out of pain, and then rose, ready to fight again. "But, it'll heal. Nothin a little run won't fix. Not to mention kicking your sorry red ass. But, to 'get on your level', I mean he was sorta…jealous."

Knuckles grabbed the foot Sonic was swinging at his head and flung his rival into a bush. "C'mon, Sonic! Ya gotta be faster! Up yer guard! You'll never beat Eggman if you act like a submissive _**pup**_!"

Sonic growled, spindashing out of the bush and whamming Knuckles into a big rock. Knuckles threw Sonic's spindash against the stone steps of the Shrine and ran away a bit. Out of nowhere, the hedgehog came in a flying leap and landed on him, pinning his arms to the dust. As he struggled to hold down his stronger friend, he continued to speak. "Is _**this**_ fast enough? But, honestly, I think I'm getting hungry. I can feel my speed rising."

"That sounded _sooo_ wrong." Knuckles kicked Sonic off and sent him flying against a tree. Said tree cracked with the force of the blow. "But, I hear ya. Wanna stop?"

"No way!" Sonic laughed, tossing his quills over his shoulder. "I haven't had this much fun in _months_!" Knuckles believed that, too. "C'mon!"

"Anyway, what's this about Shads?" Knuckles wondered, pushing against Sonic's arms in a wrestle for dominance.

"Erm…I…I think he has a crush on me." Sonic, quickly losing to his rival's strength, confessed.

Knuckles stopped struggling, so much that Sonic actually pushed him back a few steps. They went back to truly fighting, after sonic kicked Knuckles, leaving the two warily circling each other. "Huh?"

"A crush, y'know…like he wants ta…" Sonic imitated a little Michael Jackson move.

"Oh." Knuckles nodded in clarification. "What're ya gonna do, Sonic?"

Sonic shrugged. "I dunno…tell him I can't cheat on Amy? Now wait." Sonic relaxed his stance, and Knuckles followed suit. "Look, I'm not even sure yet, if this is what it is. So, we may not hafta worry about that at all."

"For your sake, I hope you're wrong about this." Knuckles warned, slowly advancing as he was back to his fighting stance. "Y'know Shadow, man. He'll do what it takes to get what he wants."

"Yeah, yeah..." Sonic muttered, pulling himself back into the proper position to fight. "Dun worry, I can handle it. I think." He smiled in challenge as Knuckles jumped at him again, and he took off running into the forest.

He and Knux had been sparring for about thirty minutes now. The sun up here was beginning to feel unnaturally hot on his back, and he was sweating quite a bit. He dashed through a stream to cool himself off and kept pressing on.

He dodged between trees, jumped over canyons, and circled around back into the forest when he reached the end of the island. He'd been to several dead ends, and stumbled upon an ancient city years older than his grandma (if he even _had_ a grandma). Everything was slowly starting to look like a blob of green, and it made him just a tad dizzy. No, more than a tad dizzy. He began to swerve as his vision blurred. The heat of the sun was going to his head, and the places behind his eyes felt blazing hot like a conflagration. He was slowing down. He couldn't take it. Between the thin air and his still vulnerable body, he couldn't take another second.

Sonic passed out beneath a clump of shady trees. Moments later, Knuckles found him. When he did, he found the hedgehog's body to be overheated. "You need a cool place to rest, my friend." Knuckles told him gently, lifting him up a little. "C'mon, Sonic. Ya can't be passed out."

Knuckles was right: Sonic was half conscious. "Wha? Huh? Where the…?"

"Just walk, it's okay. You overheated." Knuckles told him, helping Sonic walk until he could do it by himself.

"Walk?" Delusional, Sonic walked beside his friend. Then, he woke up. "Oh! I passed out! I…" He looked to Knuckles, a blush of shame turning his cheeks scarlet. "Erm…I suppose I…"

"Don't worry about it, Sonic. We'll spar again later. Let's chill somewhere nice and cold."

"Okay!" Sonic grinned. "Race ya!"

"_**WAIT**_! Uh," Knuckles called. "Dammit, Sonic! You're _**STILL**__ over__**heated**_ y'know!"

"Sorry! Can't hear ya!" Sonic called back after a few moments. Then… "I'M _**WIIIIINNNNNINNNIIIINNGGG**_!!"

"Oh for crying out…Not for long, you overconfident spiky rat!"

"**HEDGE **_**HOG**_!" Sonic snarled from out in front as Knuckles howled with laughter and raced to catch up.

_A few short chapters to lengthen the book…nobody mind? Hihhmmm. What do you think of Shadow, guys? Drop mehs a line._


	6. A WellDeserved Rest

**A Well-Deserved Rest**

The Temple of the master emerald could provide heat or air conditioning as weather dictated, and since the last thing the two friends wanted was more heat, the chamber of the giant, rotating Chaos Emerald was emitting cool air against the boys.

Knuckles was making sure the Emerald was okay, moving his mitted hands along the surface, checking for irregularities in the electromagnetic signatures it admitted while Sonic reclined, ordered by Knuckles to stay as still as possible why his body cooled down.

"It's really odd that I passed out, y'know," Sonic mused, relaxing his tense muscles once more as a cool blast of air brushed against his shoulders and neck, cooling his hot head. "I usually don't overheat that easily."

"I suspect you're not used to the climate. I know I freeze when I'm down below!" Knuckles responded.

"That's what she said."

"Hey, hey."

There was another long silence, in which Sonic stretched out and rolled onto his side, curling up into himself. His body was getting to be nice and cool; he could feel that his skin was cold beneath his fur. But, and he hated to admit it…he was feeling the beginnings of hunger. He hadn't eaten much in the past few hours, and that he had easily run off during the sparring match. That, and being overheated put more strain on his body—equivalent to heatstroke in humans—so that it actually worked overtime to perform the smallest tasks.

To put all that bluntly, Sonic was _drained_, and way past exhausted from it. He complained inaudibly to himself as his stomach grumbled uncomfortably.

But, a man's stomach is louder than a woman's, and when he is truly hungry, those close enough can hear the gurgling grumbles showing the man's desire. Knuckles chuckled and turned from his work.

"Getting to be a little hungry, Sonic?"

Blue tilted his head up weakly, his whole body trembling now. Being overheated had done more than he thought initially, it seemed! Poor Sonic—he was truly still under the weather in the end, more than a few shots shy of perfect. "I wish I wasn't, but I'm more than that common term."

"Ah. Starving, are you?"

"Yeah. Being overheated really drains me, and, uhh…" Sonic sat up a bit on his elbows, rolling over onto his stomach to muffle the noise of his displeased innards. "…guess I'm not all there yet, as far as health goes."

Knuckles had to laugh at his friend and rival. The laughter affected him so much that he had to bend over with his hands on his knees to remain upright. Sonic limply put his chin on his folded elbows in response and moaned weakly, but when the echidna finally got a hold of himself, he spoke somewhat comforting words. "No worries, TB. I hardly expect you to be in tip-top shape! I was surprised you could spar with me, much less come here unaided! Relax! There's plenty of food up here to go around!"

"Good," And Sonic rose unsteadily to his knees first, and then he tested the waters of standing. This he got, but at the price of a killer headache, his head filling with heat again. He felt queasy now, in addition to the familiar feel of being much too hot in the head. Sonic was not used to this—often, it would take a long eighteen to twenty-two hours before he felt even the first effects of being overheated. Then, he would simply cut the engine, so to speak, and take a long rest, and then head out for some food.

Now he was so dizzy, he almost felt like throwing up! Taking one step, much less running around the island again, caused his face to turn green. Knuckles picked this up, even if the light in the chamber was already quite green.

"Stay here and relax," Knuckles told him, jogging to him and placing two firm mits on the skinny tan shoulders. They felt bony now, as Sonic would sometimes gain back parts of his skeletal figure when really hungry these days—a warning to him that he needed to eat. Badly. "I'll get enough food for the both of us, okay? Sleep or something in the meantime. I'll be back." The red echidna smiled and with that began to glide using his dreadlocks.

Sonic watched him go, standing as a zombie in a stupor might. Then, he collapsed like a scarecrow without poles, and lay staring at the gray cobblestone floor until he drifted off to sleep.

When Sonic next awoke, it was to the welcoming and comforting smell of his favorite food of all time.

Hungry as a starved wolf, Sonic stretched into life to find Knuckles chomping on a ripe pomegranate, the juices caught in the tan fur around his muzzle. Right now, though, Cobalt was far from interested in the fruit diet of his red rival. He needed the meal that would get him back to feeling solid, and convince him he existed on this plane. Right now, he felt transparent, and far from the rest of the world.

"Ah!" He cried out when he saw food again. But, it was a sharp cry of pain, not of happiness. "Ack! My taste buds are rioting, and I'm so hungry, I feel like a ghost! But, I can't eat." Sonic stood again, fueled by the desire to save millions of innocents.

"Why not?" though Knuckles didn't need to ask. He saw the emotion filling the heroic green centers. Sonic was not one to ignore a chance to save the day. Yet, he was concerned about his friend—he knew what happened last time—and after experiencing selflessness as Sonic's friend, he knew that the blue hedgehog would not hesitate to do everything it took to take down his enemy, even if it had severe physical repercussions. "Whatever it is, it can wait until you've eaten. Don't forget I read people, too, Sonic, and your body language is telling me you need food ASAP."

"Don't go Amy on me," Sonic pleaded. "And I don't care, okay?! _I don't care_ what my body says! There are people in danger! I can't ignore that." Sonic, trying to steady himself with a few staggered steps, found and measured out a length of vine. "I don't have time to die or get proper rope. This'll do, until I get close enough to grab hold of a tree or something."

"Wait…what are you planning to do—Sonic?" Knuckles took off as Sonic had, following his friend through Angel Island's underbrush and verdure.

Knuckles found Sonic at the edge of Angel Island, knotting some strong vines around a strong tree. He then crossed to the edge of the cliff and bent to tie a tight knot around his legs. He turned and looked at Knuckles, his eyes the most serious Knuckles had seen them to date.

Then, without a word, he plunged deep down into the canopy of the trees below.


	7. Sound of the Sighs of the Misty Trees

**Sound of the Sighs of the Misty Trees**

_Sound of the sighs of the misty trees,_

_Over the land I love._

It was really a free-fall, wasn't it? It felt like it. The wind still whooshed past him as he fell at a quick increasing speed. He was hungry now, and he knew it. He knew it because he could feel a taut cramp starting in his stomach that would unclench at the first sight or smell of food and start the low grumbling again.

Sonic sighed. _Why wasn't I like this when I ran up those mountains?_ He thought. _I needed it then. Now's when I __**don't**__ need it._ The green was still rushing past him at incredibly speeds, making him dizzy. Suddenly, he heard a sharp snap.

The vine had broken. He was actually falling, without something to catch him now. He was falling to his death into the pine trees below.

"No, I'm not." Sonic twisted around in mid-air like an agile cat and landed upon the sturdy branch of one of the pine trees. From here, he could see the massive penguin-shaped mech causing destruction in the town beyond. Sonic took a deep breath and let it free. He could feel the heat creeping up on his body once again, making him sweat beneath his cobalt blue fur. But this was no time to be sick.

Sonic coughed weakly, as if someone had been trying to choke him. He felt like he was hacking up his lungs every time it happened. "Why do I feel like crap?" He asked himself. Then, he laughed in frustration, hacking again. "Oh, right. My immune system's got so many holes in it that I got a chill from falling through the ozone."

Now, it was not often that Sonic got ill, but when he did, it hit him hard. Even a little cold had him shivering from a high fever. Yup, Sonic was indeed shivering and sweating. He stumbled, about to black out. "Whoa-ah, all this from not eating a proper lunch?" Ever the joker, Sonic chuckled. "Remind me to feast every time I sit down to eat, then!" He shook his head briskly, and reasoned with himself. The faster he defeated Eggman, the sooner he could fill his belly and dispel the sickness wrecking havoc on his body.

With the thought of a steaming platter of chilidogs clear as a bell before him, Sonic jumped down to the ground and took off again. He could literally taste victory, and it tasted like chilidogs. His stomach rumbled, upset that no satisfaction came from "eating" these imagined chilidogs. Everything he'd eaten today felt like the food he'd eaten on his storybook adventures; real and substantial in the moment, but later thin and fragile within, like sheets of paper.

He thought of the rich rice and curry and the sweet, delicious apples he'd tasted on those two adventures, and sighed hungrily. He had to dance around several boulders to get back on track again.

_Gotta stop thinking about food. I gotta mission to complete._

When Sonic arrived in the city, he found it in disarray. The few people milling about looked terrified. Only a few children dared to play in the debris. Everyone looked up with smiles as they saw him. True, for Sonic had not been seen by the general public for over three months. They all looked relieved to see him back in action.

"Finally! He's back! I was starting to worry!"

"Yes, but doesn't he look awful? Hard to believe he'd defeated that mad doctor worse off than he is."

"He did? You don't say."

Sonic shook all the useless chatter out of his head. He looked around, and noted that the disarray he'd seen had to do with the disappearance of all hot dog vendors on the streets. Sonic was not the only one a fan of the juicy franks, so there were plenty around. Was that what Eggman was targeting?

It seemed that way. Following the trail of destruction, Sonic discovered frozen wieners lying in the streets, and half-cooked hot dogs in the gutters, their smell tempting to his complaining tummy. He had to stop for just a moment, dizzied by the smells, to rub his stomach. He was so tired of resisting food…so exhausted by hunger. He could barely breathe now, such was the extent of his illness caused by starvation. It seemed like the end of the world every time he skipped a meal.

And, most likely, it was. Sonic's new notches of speed caused him to burn energy even in his sleep! This left him starved for nutrition, which left him naturally weak and hungry. This hunger also made him faster still, which burned more calories and caused health problems. Not to mention a nagging hunger.

As he noticed people around him, he straightened back up, one arm curled around his midsection. His eyes were barely able to remain open, and he seemed to limp. But, as he jettisoned off again, he seemed quite normal. Everyone was happy and critical of his return. They were all wondering if Sonic was capable of defeating Eggman, and how fast he would get it done.

When Sonic found the doctor's machine, he saw that it was, indeed, targeting hot dogs. "Trying to starve me out, are we?" He laughed, leaning against a building, holding his side automatically as he would to stanch blood flow. He didn't even realize he was doing this until the cocky doctor observed it.

"It seems to be working. When did you receive a knife wound, rodent? I surely didn't hurt you so badly…yet."

"What are you--?" Then, Sonic realized and sheepishly dropped his hand to his side. "Oh." Flushing, he transformed into the wind. Eggman reeled to catch his movements, because he had not calculated Sonic's speed. The blue hedgehog had successfully torn half the robot apart, and had paused to inhale. Before Eggman even noticed Sonic was at a standstill than he was no longer.

Eggman flailed the penguin robot's arms, but to no avail. Sonic was simply too fast. In what was all just a beam of blue light, Sonic caused the robot to explode, resulting in his own exhaustion.

Sonic landed upon the roof of a nearby building, breathing hard. He was no longer very hungry, just faint and tired. He wanted a bed, but a warm, sunny spot would do. It would be long before he got even this, as Sonic passed out seconds after landing. It only took as long as the reader took to read this paragraph.

Eggman's flying mobile was still active. He was watching Sonic's form, disturbed and tense in this sudden faint. "And he was fast! Like before, only without the benefit of seven Chaos Emeralds!" The Doctor laughed. "Oh-ho-ho! It seems my plan to rid the world of chilidogs would have had actual merit, then! Sonic's apparent inability to eat may yet pay off for me! Well, we'll have to wait and see."

The Doctor looked as a black speck danced across his peripheral vision. He saw Shadow, prowling around the perimeter of Sonic's body. "Well! Sonic will be in good hands with Shadow. Until the next battle, my blue furred enemy." And Eggman flew off into the horizon, cackling about his new plans.


End file.
